NATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
Tourism Ministry launches #DekhoApnaDesh” webinar series: Ministry of Tourism
has launched its "DekhoApnaDesh" webinar series to provide
information on various destinations and the sheer depth-expanse of the culture
and heritage of our Incredible India. The first in the webinar series unfold
the long history of Delhi and was titled as ‘City of Cities- Delhi's Personal
Diary'. It will be available on the Ministry’s social media handles
IncredibleIndia on Instagram and Facebook.
Note: Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism:
Prahalad Singh Patel.
2.
NIOS to run live counseling sessions on free-to-air DTH channels: The National
Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is going to run live counseling sessions on
free-to-air DTH channels for secondary and senior secondary levels respectively
in order to overcome the loss of academic time of the students. To achieve
this, NIOS has made innovations to telecast the Live session through Skype on
Swayam Prabha DTH Channel namely Panini, Channel Sharda and Channel Kishore
Manch. The step has been taken in the view of nationwide lockdown due to the
COVID-19 pandemic and to save the academic time of the students.
To provide quality education to the
learners, the content is also being made available online through ‘SWAYAM’ MOOC
platform of MHRD for various subjects of class 9th to 12th. Apart from Self
Learning Material, the SWAYAM portal also provides video lectures and
facilities of self-assessment to the learners. Those learners who do not have
much accessibility of the internet services, can watch the telecast of the
video lectures on MHRD SWAYAM PRABHA TV channels.
Note: Union Minister for Human Resource
Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.
3.
Google Pay launches 'Nearby Spot' to find local essentials stores: Google has launched
‘Nearby Spot’ under Google pay to help its users find stores selling essentials
in their town, amidst the lockdown. It has already been launched in Bengaluru
and will be launched in Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi. The Spot
app will also enable a Google Pay user to donate for the cause in platforms
such as PM-CARES Fund or to NGOs such as SEEDS, Give India, United Way and
Charities Aid Foundation.
Note: Google CEO: Sundar Pichai;
Headquarters: California, United States.
4.
Jharkhand Hospitals Employ Robots to serve food & medicine to COVID-19
patients: In
a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, two hospitals in Jharkhand’s West
Singhbhum district has installed Robots to serve food and give medicine to
COVID-19 patients, in a bid to protect doctors and health workers from getting
infected with coronavirus. The remote-controlled robot dubbed as
‘COBOT-Robotics’ has been developed by District Deputy Development Commissioner
(DDC) Aditya Ranjan and his team of engineers. The 20-bed ‘high-tech isolation
wards’ has been inaugurated at the ANM Skill Centre, Chaibasa Sadar Hospital.
The 30-bed ‘high-tech isolation wards’ has been inaugurated at COVID-19 Railway
Hospital, Chakradharpur. Each bed has been designed like a room where medicine
and food will be provided to patients through COBOT-Robotics.
Note: Chief Minister of Jharkhand: Hemant
Soren; Governor of Jharkhand: Droupadi Murmu; Capital of Jharkhand: Ranchi
5.
DRDO develops Safe COVID-19 Sample Collection Kiosk (COVSACK): DRDO’s Defence
Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad has developed a unique
COVID Sample Collection Kiosk (COVSACK), for use by healthcare workers for
taking COVID-19 samples from suspected infected patients. DRDL has developed
the unit in consultation with the doctors of Employees’ State Insurance
Corporation (ESIC), Hyderabad. Suspected Patient walks into the Kiosk and a
nasal or oral swab is taken by health care professional from outside through
the built in gloves. The Kiosk is automatically disinfected, once the patient
leaves, without the need for human involvement, making the process free of
infection spread. The shielding screen of kiosk cabin protects the health care
worker from the aerosols/droplet transmission while taking the sample and this
inturn reduces the requirements of PPE change by health care workers. The cost
of the COVSACK is nearly Rs one lakh.
Note: Chairman of Defence Research and
Development Organisation: G Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters of DRDO: New Delhi.
6.
Manipur Govt launches Electronic format of comic textbooks: Manipur State
Education Department has launched electronic format comic textbooks for class
III to V for Mathematics, Environmental Studies and English Language. The
textbook is launched to make up the gaps for the academic situation arises due
to lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to start this learning
method has been made after thorough discussion and analysis with the experts
and official concerned of the State Department of Education.
Note: Manipur Chief Minister: N. Biren
Singh; Governor of Manipur: Najma Heptulla.
7.
Ambedkar Jayanti: 14 April: Ambedkar Jayanti (also known as Bhim
Jayanti) is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the birth
anniversary of Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar who was born on 14 April 1891.
The Day has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India since
2015. In 2020, we are marking the 129th birth anniversary of Babasaheb. Dr.
Ambedkar is known as the Father (chief architect) of the Indian Constitution.
He was the first Law and Justice Minister of the country after the
independence. He was the Dalit icon who dedicated his life working for the
upliftment of untouchables, women and labourers. He was honoured with 1956’s
Bodhisattva, Bharat Ratna in 1990, First Colombian Ahead of Their Time Award in
2004 and The Greatest Indian in 2012.
8.
Fit India and CBSE organise first-ever live fitness sessions for school: Fit India and CBSE
organised first-ever live fitness sessions for school students in the second
phase of lockdown. Commencing from 15th April 2020 at 9:30 am, students can
easily get access to these live sessions on the Facebook and Instagram handles
of Fit India Movement and CBSE. It will cover all aspects of children’s fitness
from daily workouts to yoga, nutrition to emotional well-being with guidelines
of Ministry of AYUSH to stay healthy.
9.
Naval Command designed air evacuation pod for COVID patients: An Air Evacuation
Pod (AEP) was indigenously designed and fabricated by Naval Aircraft Yard
(Kochi) under Southern Naval Command (SNC) for safe air evacuation of COVID
patients from remote areas eliminating the risk of cross-infection to pilots
and evacuation team. The evacuation pod
is made of Aluminum, Nitrile Rubber and Perspex. It weighs only 32 kg and has
incurred manufacturing cost of ₹50000/- which is only 1% of cost of an imported
equivalent item (Rs 59Lakhs).
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1.
IUSSTF invited proposals for COVID-19 India-US virtual network: Indo-U.S. Science
and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) has invited Proposals for ‘COVID-19 Indo-U.S.
Virtual Networks’ allowing Indian and U.S. scientists and engineers to carry
out joint research activities through a virtual mechanism. This will
demonstrate the benefits and value of the Indo-U.S. partnership to advance
research and address critical challenges related to COVID-19 are encouraged.
Applications will be accepted online from 15 April 2020 and till 15 May 2020.
2.
Trump Administration Halts Funding to WHO for ‘covering up’ Covid-19 spread: United States
President Donald Trump has decided to halt funding to World Health Organisation
(WHO) and has criticized the WHO for “missing the call” on the coronavirus
pandemic. He has accused the UN agency of failing in its basic duty by covering
up the spread of the virus after it emerged in China and acting too slowly and
so must be held accountable. The Trump administration has ordered to conduct a
review to assess the World Health Organisation’s role in “severely mismanaging
and covering up” the spread of the deadly coronavirus. US is the biggest
contributor to WHO. American taxpayers provide around $400 million to $500
million per year to the WHO as compared to roughly $40 million annual
contribution by China. Trump said that the world depends on the WHO to ensure
that accurate information about international health threats is shared in a
timely manner.
3.
World Art Day: 15 April: World Art Day is observed every year on 15 April to
celebrate fine arts and promote awareness of creative activity around the
world. The day was declared by the International Association of Art (IAA), an NGO
working in official partnership with UNESCO. The first celebration of World Art
Day was held on April 15, 2012. The date has been selected in honor of the
birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, the famous painter of Mona Lisa. He was chosen
as a symbol of world peace, freedom of expression, tolerance, brotherhood and
multiculturalism as well as art’s importance to other fields. It is an
international celebration of arts to recognize and support all forms of
creative expressions like visual arts, films, music, creative writing etc.
Note: Director General of UNESCO: Audrey
Azoulay.
OTHER UPDATES:
SPORTS
1.
Tour de France postponed due to Coronavirus Pandemic: The Tour de France
has been postponed by two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, world
governing body the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) has confirmed. The 107th
edition of the race was due to begin in Nice on June 27 and conclude in Paris
on July 19, but the UCI on issued new dates, with the opening stage on August
29 and the finale on September 20.
Postponement of the race became inevitable
when French President Emmanuel Macron announced there would be no mass
gatherings in the country until mid-July. The revised Tour will take place over
the same route as was planned for the original dates without any changes,
following extensive discussions with the relevant local authorities over the
past few weeks.
Note: Capital of France: Paris; Currency of
France: Euro, CFP Franc.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1.
Equitas Small Finance Bank launches Selfe FD and Selfe Savings Account: Equitas Small
Finance Bank has launched two new digital banking services- Selfe FD and Selfe
Savings Account. This would enable the customers of the bank to avoid visiting
branches. Under the “Selfe FD” option- customers can open Selfe Fixed Deposit
online for value upto Rs 90,000 by providing Aadhar and PAN details. It will
provide an interest rate of 7.75% for one year. Under the “Selfe Savings
Account” option, a person can open savings account with Equitas Small Finance
Bank by web based interactive video form by registering one’s Aadhaar number,
PAN and other basic details. The interest rate is 7.5% and no minimum balance.
BUSINESS AND ECONMY
1.
IMF predicts India’s GDP growth for FY21 at 1.9%: The International
Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India’s GDP growth rate for FY21 at 1.9%.
This decrease is due to the due to the coronavirus pandemic. IMF expects the
GDP growth rate for India in FY22 as 7.4%. As per IMF, India recorded a GDP
growth of 4.2% in FY20.
2.
Barclays predicts India’s GDP growth for CY2020 at 0%: Barclays has
predicted the GDP growth for India in Calendar Year 2020 at 0%. It means no
economic growth. For FY21, Barclays has predicted GDP growth for India at 0.8%.
OBITUARIES
1.
Former Golfer Doug Sanders of US Passes Away: Former American
professional Golfer Doug Sanders (George Douglas Sanders) has passed away of
natural cause. He was 86. He was known as the “peacock of the fairways” for his
stylish and bright-hued clothing. He won 20 titles on the PGA Tour including
the 1956 Canadian Open and four runner-up finishes in majors with the 1970 Open
Championship. Sanders also played in 218 events on the senior Champions Tour and
hosted his own tournament, the Doug Sanders Celebrity Classic.
2.
Swiss Ice Hockey player Roger Chappot passes away: Former
Switzerland’s Ice hockey player Roger Chappot passed away due to Coronavirus.
He played more than 100 games for Switzerland’s national team. He also
represented the Switzerland national team at the Winter Olympics in 1964. He
was the Swiss league’s leading scorer in the 1964 season.
3.
Veteran Congress leader M.V. Rajashekaran passes away: Former Union
Minister and veteran Congress leader M.V. Rajashekaran (91 years) passes away.
Rajashekaran served as Union Minister of State for Planning in UPA-led Congress
government headed by Manmohan Singh. He represented Kanakapura constituency in
Lok Sabha and was known for value-based politics.
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